‘Slighted’ sisters spark pub battle

Two sisters got into such a serious fight outside a bar and restaurant that people locked themselves inside to keep out of the way, a court heard.

Jacqueline and Mary Molloy had been asked to leave The Med in Perne Road, Coleridge, Cambridge, on August 11 and got into a taxi they mistakenly thought had been booked for them, magistrates in Cambridge heard.

Paul Brown, prosecuting, said the sisters got out of the taxi after it was established that it was not for them and a member of the party which had ordered it said “thank you darling” in a way that was “not sarcastic” but was interpreted in the wrong way.

Mr Brown said: “There was then a very unsightly fight that took place outside and it was so serious that members of the public there actually locked themselves into the public house and the police were called.”

Jacqueline, 41, of Thoday Street, Cambridge, and Mary, 42, of Spalding Way in the city, were arrested after the police arrived.

Nick Barnes, in mitigation for the pair, said they had been dancing in the pub and they were insulted by some men and, as “strong-willed females” they decided to challenge the insult.

He said because of what happened inside the pub they were not in the best of moods and there was some confusion over the taxi, but they do not accept there was any violence on their part.

The sisters pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby.

Neither woman has any previous convictions.

Magistrate Dr Christine Shaw gave them a conditional discharge and imposed court costs of £85.

She said: “We take it that this is out of character, this is why we are doing this.”